There is pressure mounting on the Eastern Regional Headquarters of Ghana Immigration Service as Sex Trafficking activities boom around its office in Koforidua but overlooking it to fester.
The situation seems to suggest the Ghana Immigration Service which has the constitutional mandate on migrant issues and anti-human trafficking responsibilities is shirking its responsibility.
An investigation has identified that young female Nigerians are being trafficked to Koforidua in Ghana for sexual exploitation through the conspiracy of some Ghanaians and Nigerians under the pretext of securing decent and well-paying jobs for them in Ghana however forced into prostitution upon arrival.
The Bula Spot and Little Ben area are two notorious brothels being used for the traffickers to house their victims in Koforidua.
Sadly, these facilities are located within 15 and 10 minutes walking distance respectively from the Regional Headquarters of Ghana Immigration Service in Koforidua.
Information gathered indicates that the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Police Service, and the City authorities are known the existence of these brothels and the sex trafficking and sex exploitation therein.
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is one of the security agencies mandated by the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 Act 694 to help combat the transnational crime of trafficking in Ghana
The Migration Management Bureau is a merger of three newly created Sections of the Ghana Immigration Service.
It is made up of the Anti-Human Trafficking Desk, the Migration Information Bureau, and the Refugee Desk.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Desk was set up in July 2006 in line with the ECOWAS Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons, (2002-2003), under ‘Specialization and Training’ which requires that existing law enforcement structures create special units with a specific mandate to develop and effectively target operational activities to combat trafficking in Persons.
The Desk is supposed to coordinate capacity-building programs and mainstream anti-trafficking into the Service’s operations with an ultimate goal of contributing to Ghana’s efforts toward full compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of Human Trafficking.
Attempts to get the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service in the Eastern Region to know what the service is doing to address the sex trafficking menace in Koforidua are yet to receive a reply.
The booming sex trafficking menace which is worsening across Ghana as a result of global economic hardship fueled by COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will continue as the security agencies responsible are becoming irresponsible.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
